Hunting a Small Clearing for Coyotes

[oneshotkill]

Recently my friends family had one of their cats eaten by a coyote so this weekend I am going to go over there and try to kill it/them.  A few questions that I have though, the place where my friend lives is a small clearing in the woods on whidbey island that is about 50 yards across.  The coyotes around his house have never been shot at before.  I have a Primos hotdog but I do not feel very confident in my howling skills yet and am reluctant to try it until I do.  Do you think rabbit distress calls would be enough to call one out of the woods?  Because there are other houses in the area, my friends parents do not want me to use anything other then my .22 due to the noise factor of my 12 gauge and 30-06.  If I head shoot it do you think that a .22 will be enough?  I have never shot a coyote before so if there are any tips that you can offer me I would greatly appreciate it.

[firecrotch]

yeah a .22 will definately do the job, just make sure its good placement. i use the primos hotdog and do real well with it. go to youtube and look up videos on how to use it. i would suggest trying to learn how to do a bird in distress with the call, it sometimes is one of the best ways to coax in a coyote with a distress call.

[bowhunterforever]

22 will work fine, I have killled a few with my 22 and the farthest yote is 70 or 80yrds right behind the shoulder shots!

[MIKEXRAY]

I've been messing with the coyotes around my house in Federalway. So far I have only been scaring them away. I figured out that I was calling to loud. I have never called one in from afar, I have seen them about a 100 yds away in the field next to my house & done better. Yet to draw the bow but getting closer. I think these rural yotes are different, more skittish maybe ?  Mike

[billythekidrock]

I wouldn't use anything smaller then a .22 mag, and then only with close head shots. If you leave a wounded coyote there will definately be more missing cats.

[Lincoln4]

I've been messing with the coyotes around my house in Federalway. Yet to draw the bow but getting closer. Mike

Be careful about that.  Make sure you don't live in a "no shoot zone".  Yes a bow is frequently included as a firearm.  Check your local rules (city and/or county) before doing something with good intentions that gets you in trouble.  I got yotes all around my location that I can't pop due to living in a Pierce County "no shoot zone"...

[agchawk]

I am not 100% but isn't Whidbey Island/Island county a "shotgun only" area for hunting? Admittently, I have not checked the regs on this but I am stationed on Whidbey and that is what I've been told (Archery equipment is also usable). I don't hunt the island so I've never really read up on it to see if that were true....but if you plan on coming out here to pop a coyote then I would certainly take a peak at the regs first.

I'll echo the "no shooting" zones also and make sure they do not live inside one.

[Grizzle]

Check the regs on no shoot zones, there are allowable exceptions to them in King county (I assume in other counties as well).   Property and animal protection are two of them.  If in doubt contact the local sheriff for a permit to take out the coyote.

Is a 12ga really that much louder than a .22? I don't think its enough of a difference to justify the use of the 22 when you can increase your kill odds/and shot opportunities dramatically with a 12ga Hevi Shot Dead Coyote load.  It would SUCK for an injured animal to limp into someones yard....you'd be having a conversation with the Sheriff after the fact.   Might as well give them a call up front.

(Maybe you could trap it first)

(Revenge is not an allowable exception in King county...but if you had another cat to protect...)

[Machias]

"Is a 12ga really that much louder than a .22?"  Oh hell yes, it's a heck of alot louder.  That said I would not reccommend a .22 for yotes, unless it was a head shot and dang close.  It may die but chances are real good you'll never find it.  A .22 behind the shoulder, leaves very little blood trail and takes quite a while to expire.  It is amazing what a yote can take and still travel a heck of a long way!

[Bofire]

I dont like your shooting idea so I'll stay out of that, but 50 to 100 yards max, lip squeak is all you need. any distress will work, I'd go with birds or puppies.
Carl

[tlbradford]

Are you targeting a single coyote or a group that is in the area?  Removing a problem coyote is a completely different game than calling and killing whatever comes in.  The situation you described really lends itself to trapping rather than calling.  I would probably set-up to hunt at night with a little mouse squeeker if you can't lip squeek.  Use a barnes varmint grenade or a vmax, something highly frangible, or better yet a shotgun.  I would be less concerned about noise, and more concerned about where a bullet is going to end up.  If you call anything up and shoot, miss or hit, they won't be back in that area for a long while.

[oneshotkill]

Are you targeting a single coyote or a group that is in the area?  Removing a problem coyote is a completely different game than calling and killing whatever comes in.  The situation you described really lends itself to trapping rather than calling.  I would probably set-up to hunt at night with a little mouse squeeker if you can't lip squeek.  Use a barnes varmint grenade or a vmax, something highly frangible, or better yet a shotgun.  I would be less concerned about noise, and more concerned about where a bullet is going to end up.  If you call anything up and shoot, miss or hit, they won't be back in that area for a long while.

I am not necessarily gunning for a single problem coyote, my friends cat being killed is rather a conveniet excuse to convince his parents to let us hunt on their property.

[Watz_Hunt]

I will second what has been said previously that Whidbey Island is shotgun only hunting. I've been hearing it from all the hunters on this island. Pull out a bow and get it man should be too hard. Anyway good luck.

[WARHORSE]

Give that Coyote an award...I hate cats!

[washelkhntr]

Guys, Whidbey Island is NOT shotgun only. It is firearm restricted to the use of archery, muzzleloader, and handguns.